Publication Date
Spring 2025
Abstract
This research focuses on the ways in which neoliberal policies and climate change are transforming water culture in indigenous communities of the Peruvian Andes. Specifically, the study explores how indigenous communities are responding to water scarcity through the ancestral practice of planting and harvesting water. Residents of Andean regions are some of the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change; irregular rainfall and melting glaciers are creating an unprecedented loss of water sources. Furthermore, the water management of the Peruvian state, using a neoliberal model, is restricting the access to and use of water for indigenous communities. This research was conducted through fieldwork in the high Andean community of Paru Paru. Using the techniques of participant observation and interviews with community members, this research analyzes community strategies of resistance and adaptation to contribute to the construction of water justice in Paru Paru within the context of climate change and neoliberal management. The ancestral technique of sowing and harvesting water, through the planting of queñua and other native Andean trees, emerged as a key strategy for addressing water scarcity and an indigenous alternative to neoliberal management.
Disciplines
Arts and Humanities | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Recommended Citation
Nichol, Ella, "Sembrando la justicia hídrica: Soluciones indígenas a la escasez de agua en la comunidad de Paru Paru" (2025). Peru: Indigenous Peoples and Globalization. 7.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/per/7